[RayChuang88]

John Stossel suggested we could substantially cut the US defense budget without affecting national security.

I think we could do the following:

1. Substantially cut back on European force deployments except for a minimal presence to support operations in the Middle East, such as air bases.
2. Possibly cancel the F-35 and replace it with a much-upgraded F-16 model with an upgraded wing for improved maneuverability, a derivative of the Pratt & Whitney F119 engine, the F-35's radar and a new cockpit derived from the F-35 cockpit, and possibly using a licensed version of the MBDA Meteor missile capable to taking down targets around 100 km (62 miles) away.
3. Phase out a large number of "middle officers" from all branches of the armed forces.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Such an F-16 was indeed proposed many moons ago

[sukhoi-30mki]

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogscript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3A27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3Ae639373f-5629-4eb1-862b-6767176c12a0

[tanknetter]

2. Possibly cancel the F-35 and replace it with a much-upgraded F-16 model with an upgraded wing for improved maneuverability, a derivative of the Pratt & Whitney F119 engine, the F-35's radar and a new cockpit derived from the F-35 cockpit, and possibly using a licensed version of the MBDA Meteor missile capable to taking down targets around 100 km (62 miles) away.

If you look at programs to re-engine fighter aircraft (aircraft with podded engines, like C-5s and B-52s are a different story) you'll quickly see that the "fix" you propose would cost more and take more time to field than just continuing with the F-35. Specifically the very successful but also very costly effort at putting the big GE engines into the later model F-14s and the not-so-successful efforts at re-engining the F-4 Phantom (first the Brits with the Spey and then the attempts to plug the F/A-18's F404s into it).

As it is, while you address the USAF's needs with the "upgraded" F-16 suggestion, you leave out all the other players in the JSF effort. First, the USN's legacy Hornet force is trapping out to the point where we're now having to buy additional SuperBugs as a stop-gap measure. And the SuperBug is NOT a stealth platform - an at-sea capability that is LONG overdue. THEN you have the aging and attritting USMC AV-8B force with an aircraft that is no longer in production.